


INTERLUDE: I Confess I Am Only Broken

by brocanteur



Series: To Bedlam and Part Way Back [10]
Category: Skins (UK)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-04-03
Packaged: 2018-05-31 02:02:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6451099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brocanteur/pseuds/brocanteur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Effy and Tony Stonem in Cardiff. (Takes place during "The Bells")</p>
            </blockquote>





	INTERLUDE: I Confess I Am Only Broken

  
As soon as Effy arrives in Cardiff, Tony takes her away.  
  
When they’ve hardly walked a block from the hotel she stops altogether, drops her fag, and gives him a long look before pressing against him. It's as much of a surprise for her as it seems to be for him, and a rush of air pushes from between her lips as he holds her more and more tightly, the shock of it giving way to something that resembles relief.  
  
He holds her without question until she steps away, swiping the back of her hand across her runny nose.  
  
"Pub?" he asks.  
  
Effy shakes her head. "Think I'd like to walk for a bit," she replies, her voice hoarse.  
  
"The park, then."  
  
On the way there, Tony talks for them both, and Effy is relieved when he doesn't ask questions she isn't ready to answer. It isn't until they're standing in front of Roath Park Lake, staring out at the water, that Tony says, "Sorry," like it's something that's expected of him. "Mum looks bloody awful."  
  
Effy pulls a cigarette from its pack, but when she looks for her lighter, it's nowhere to be found. "Hey," she murmurs, tapping Tony on the arm, and when he glances at her, he automatically reaches into his pocket and lights the fag for her. She takes a drag and says, "It’s not your fault she fucked Funny Beard, is it?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing. It's what Pandora calls Dad's boss."  
  
"Ah. And how is the little freak?"  
  
Effy almost laughs. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
"I think I would."  
  
Effy shrugs and changes the subject. "Is Cardiff shit?  
  
"No worse than Bristol."  
  
"That's a relief," she answers blandly.  
  
"How was the trip? Frankly, I'm surprised you all came in the same car."  
  
"They do try and make things as pleasant as possible, don't they?" She shrugs again and tries to smile. "Made one hour feel like four."  
  
"Brilliant."  
  
"Fucked up," Effy corrects, unable to keep an edge from her voice. "You'll see when we have our lovely family dinner tonight."  
  
"I can't wait," Tony says, leaning into the railing, so far his head is almost even with Effy's when he turns to look at her. "Are you all right, then?"  
  
"Never better."  
  
"Effy." He waits for a long time, gazing at her with a look of barely restrained impatience. Then, "How's the girl you're not seeing?"  
  
Effy starts, but her surprise quickly turns into annoyance when Tony gives her a smug smile. She says, flatly, "You're a twat, and I'm never ringing you again."  
  
"You hardly do now. Anyway, you were off your face, weren't you?"  
  
She doesn't reply, just takes several deep drags from her cigarette, blinking away the smoke that gets in her eyes. The lake is very blue.  
  
"You can't fault me for being fucking curious," he persists. "You sent me an incomprehensible text and then called in the middle of the night about this girl that you were 'very definitely not seeing.'"  
  
"So?"  
  
"So, when you were gone _for weeks_ this summer, you only rang twice--very briefly--to let me know you were alive. It's a momentous occasion when you're suddenly inspired to blather on for longer than five minutes." A pause. "Her name's Katie, right?"  
  
Effy glares at him. "It's not a big deal, okay?"  
  
"Isn't it?"  
  
"Forget it."  
  
"Eff, Come on--"  
  
"Just let it go, Tony," she says wearily.  
  
"Right," he says. The expression on his face is so familiar, so like one he would've worn prior to his accident, something inside Effy's chest tightens and shifts. "Girls are too much trouble."  
  
"So are boys," she counters tightly.  
  
Tony laughs a bit. "That's true."  
  
Effy pauses, swallowing hard before asking a question she's sure she'll regret. "So how do you know when it's worth it, then?"  
  
He smiles curiously and says, "Haven't been able to sort that out yet." When he grows surprisingly serious, Effy tenses up in anticipation. "Are you sure there's nothing more you want to say about--"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Sighing, he turns his back on the lake and rests his elbows on the top railing. "Believe it or not, Effy, I worry about you."  
  
"I'm fine," she murmurs.  
  
Tony makes a sound, but doesn't argue. After a while, he says, "I'll go back to Bristol for a few days. We'll take the train, just you and me. Okay?"  
  
Effy takes one last drag from her cigarette. Exhales.

"Cool."


End file.
